Reviewers (I, II, III) of Microsoft's (MSFT) Surface Pro often like the device more in theory...

Reviewers (I, II, III) of Microsoft's (MSFT) Surface Pro often like the device more in theory than in practice. While praising its display and performance, and admitting the value of a tablet that can morph into a fully-fledged Windows notebook, the Pro's battery life (when used as a tablet), thickness (ditto), and storage (when used as a notebook) lead to generally muted reviews. Walt Mossberg: "Like many products that try to be two things at once, the new Surface Windows 8 Pro does neither as well as those designed for one function." Paging Tim Cook... (Surface RT)

Yesterday I heard an Apple-person talking about how the new iPad is an "Enterprise" tablet good for business, implying that it was going after the MS Surface audience. Today, you're saying that the Surface isn't quite up to the enterprise job. It's interesting to watch. Someone's going to figure it out.

No, sorry, a tablet that runs a full, real operating system, and has an integrated physical keyboard in its case/cover is EXACTLY what I want.

I started to use my iPad a lot more once I got a keyboard case for it (doing so is the opening suggestion of every article about how to be productive with an iPad). Now if only it could run all my native Windows applications....

The Surface Pro, while doing this in theory, is turning out to have many "compromises" in practice -- poor battery life, lots of heat, etc, per the reviews. These are not insurmountable issues, but will certainly require a few iterations to perfect.

True to Microsoft's history, it is an evolutionary step rather than a revolutionary one.

One or two more of those steps and MSFT will have a pretty nice product. Another option might be that a third-party hardware manufacturer like Samsung might pick up the ball and run with it.

Exactly. I am betting on Lenovo, think e.g. Helix, where one can detach the tablet part when entertaining in the evening. And use it as a powerful no compromise i7 laptop during the day. W8 on x86 is the only OS to support such devices.

Surface changed the design game in windows products. It may not be everything I hoped for - most significantly it only has one usb port - but tablets are lesssons in compromise regardless. That said, I am looking at some really nice products that have come on the market in the aftermath of Surface with nice designs and more functionality than Sruface, products from Asus and Kupa and Razor too come to mind.

ZDNet disagreed, generally praising it. In fact discovering that it ran longer than Microsoft claims in literature as well.

I think critics criticize. In reality there is much more to like than hate. It has a convertible form factor, runs for about 5 hours according to ZDNet's tests, is lighter than a MacBook Air with a substantially higher resolution screen. It runs Windows software including full MS Office. Try running Windows on a MacBook Air under VMware and see how long the battery lasts (I have). It has a great ink interface and touch which the Air doesn't and on the iPad (ink) isn't really used or well realized.

In any case Windows 8 and Surface have brought about a whole family of touch/ink/convertible machines (all running Windows and tied to a Microsoft platform and cloud) and the form factors are just starting whereas the Mac seems to have dead ended in terms of change and new software. The iPad is still awesome but there doesn't seem to be any desire to go further (what's new). I predict Amazon will eat the media/reader tablet business up if Apple continues to stand still.

MSFT really has a monkey on its back when it comes to pleasing consumers, and by consumers I mean the ones who aren't neck deep in fruit products. When they release a new product its usually followed by "Why can't it do this?" or "This is great but this isn't."

When the other hardware maker, particularly the one with fruit on the cover, release products that lack in something it's completely overlooked such as missing a full OS, missing ports, or static icons. But but but, the ecosystem Island_Dweller!!!

The drawbacks are emphasized while the positives are cast aside like some sort of tech-desensitization. MSFT is expected the release perfection or it's DOA.

If anything I fault MSFT for trying to do too much too soon. The Surface Pro has a single solitary flaw, battery life. That's it. Everything else is nitpicking,